Fire-extinguishing sprinkler-nozzle.



R. M. HUNTER. FIRE EXTINGUISHING SPRINKLER NOZZLE. APPLICATION FILED APB.27, 1911..

mmmwq Patentd July 16, 1912.

RUDOLPH lVL HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING SPRINKLER-NOZZLE.

Patented July 16, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER,

a citizen of the United States, and a restdent of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Fire-Extinguishing SprinklenNezzles, of which the followin'gis a specification.

My invention has reference to fire extinguishing sprinkler nozzles and consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

The object; of my invention is to provide a simple form of sprinkler nozzle adapted to normally close a dischz'uge orifice for an extinguisl'iing fluid but which will automatically open by a rise in temperature ator adjacent to the nozzle for the purpose of liberating: the water or other fluid and dischargingit in the form of spray.

More particularly my object is to' provide an inexpensive construction of sprinkler nozzle which shall be easily made and adjusted and moreover which will disrupt itself with free discharge of the extinguishing fluid in case of a sufficient rise in tem perature adjacent to the nozzle.

My invention consists of certain improve inents which are fully disclosed in the accom panying' drawings and described hereinafter and more particularly defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an automatic sprinkler nozzle embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a PQI'SPECtlVG view of the strut, 'valve, and

spraying devices.

A is an annular body provided with an inwardly directed annular flange C and a cylindrical flange B screw threaded upon its interior. 'Said body A is further providcd with lightupwardly extending housings H, terminating in a hub portion G.- Screwingr into the back or threaded flange portion'B isa bushing D having a poly onal portion F by which it may be turned and a screw threaded nipple E by which the fluid may be supplied. The bushing D has a chamber 1) about which is an annular rim which operating with the annular part U of the body forms a clamp between which the flexible diaphragms I and L are clamped.

These diaphragms are provided with central apertures I and L respectively the aperture L in the diaph 'agm L being slightly larger than the aperture I of the diaphragm I. Iiurthermorc the inner diaphragm L is preferably provided with openings M of suitable shape so that the fluid in the chamber 1) may act through the said openings of the diaphragm L upon the under surface of the outer diaphragm. I and likewise may act upon the annular edge of the diaphragm I adjacent to the opening I by reason of the fact. of the projection of said edge inwardly with respect to edge of the opening in the diaphragm J is a valve piece preferably flaton the upper surface anduspherical upon the, under.

surface J and in which further the fiat upper surface 18 provided with a central recess J. This valve beingsphcrical will fit into the aperture 1 of the diaphragm I without requiring very accurate adjti'stment, and hence is easy of assemblagelwith the. diaphragm I constituting a seat. To avoid all special machine work and to insure a tight joint, I prefer to apply to the outer surface of the diaphragm adjacent to the aperture therein an annular line of soft metal K against which the spherical valve piece rests. c

The valve piece J is pressed downward upon the diaphragm I by means of a suitable strut R and a tension screw 0., the latter being screwed through the hub G of the housing and pressing upon the strut to force it downward upon the valve piece. Referring more particularly to the stiutstructure R, it is composed of three parts, namely a part R pressing directly upon the valve piece, a part R pressing directly against the adjusting screw and abutment, and the part R which locks the two parts R and R together and held in place by the fusible solder R The strut part It". is of a length substantially equal to the distance between the valve piece '1 and the abut-- inent Q of the screw 0, is rounded on its lower part to form a. pivot It which is centered in and capable of rotating in the recess J on the top of (the valve piece J. and its upper part is made straight to form an elongated hearing at right angles to the strut part. Furthermore, this part R is provided with a rectangular opening R". The strut portionIt is provided with a fiat face which rests against the fiat face provided with a reverse curve forming a socket groove B, into which the upper'elongated edge of the part R is received and upon which it bears, and an upwardly extending similar socket or groove R parallel to the socketon groove R but slightly to one side thereof. The lower part of the strut portion R is provided with an aperture R which comes into alinement' with the aperture R in the part R and extending downward from the said aperture RT is a groove portion 1. The third portion of the strut structure consists of the angular piece R and comprises more specifically an extended 'llat portion which rests against the face of the strut part R :1 laterally eX tending portion 7 'Wl]lClT extends through the aperturesR- and R of the respective parts R and R ,.and the downwardly extending lug whic 1 is narrow and projects into the recess or groove 1. in the part R This part B securely soldered in position in connection withihe parts R and R with fusible solder capaybleof melting at a comparatively low temperature, such as commonly employed in sprinkler nozzles. The narrow lug 17 being led into the recess or groove 1* in the part R acts to shield and protect this weak portion R against injury or bending which might make it bindshould the same he accidentally struck from any cause, as in shipping the sprinkler or through carelessness in handling or assemblage. Furthermore, because of the narrowness of this portion, it is desirable to give it proper support to prevent accidental lateral displacement sufficient to weaken the soldered connection and this-is accomplished by setting this part r into a groove portion 1" prior to the soldering of the parts in position.

The adjusting screw 0 is, as before stated, screwed through the hub G and has its lower end cut away on opposite sides to form upon the bottom of the screw it fiat edge approximatinga screw driver shape, the width, however, being only that of the normal di ameter of the screw so that the screw may be removed from the housing when necessary and also for purposes of assembling the parts. This screw driver ,end of the screw orelongatcd bearing end Q of the ad justing screw O rests in the elongated socket or groove R of the'strut part R and hence tends,when adjusted, to cause the part R to rotate about the elongated bearing R upon the end of the strut part B. As this rotation is prevented by the interlocking part R soldered in position, it follows that the thrust of the screw 0 is transmitted almost directly upon the valve piece J. It is further evident that when rotating the screw 0 during the adjustment, the strut device is rotated with it and the pivot R of the strut device is free to rotate in the socket recess J in the valve piece and without disturbing the valve piece itself. The outer end of the screw 0 is provided with the spraying disk P, which is provided with suitable notched flanges for breaking up and spraying the Water or extinguishing fluid which is' projected against it when the valve piece is liberated. This spraying disk P is formed integral with the adjusting screw 0 and acts as a means for rotating the same for purposes of adjustment.

I have shown in Fig. 3 the various elements making up the nozzle with the exception of the main frame and housing portions and the parts there shown are separated so as to give a general andclear idea of the shapes and forms of said parts in approximately the relative positions they assume, but spread slightly for purposes of elucidation. i

In the operation of the nozzle the water or other fluid is'held under pressure within the chamber D, the same acting upon the flexible diaphragm I, L for pressing it against the valve piece J, the pressure upon the valve piece being adjusted by the screw 7 O to depressthe central portions of the diaphragms, as indicated in Fig. 1. If the surrounding temperature fuses the solder R the pressure of the water acting upon the under side of the diaphragms and valve piece will thrust the strut part R upward and cause thelower portion of the part R to'be thrown out laterally, the same being permitted by the liberation of the locking part R When this rupture of the strut structure'takes place, it itself parts and to gether with the valve piece is thrown up wardly by the pressure of the water or fluid beneath and this is assisted by the action of the water upon the diaphragms and by the elasticityof the diaphragms themselves, the object being to. quickly separate and discharge the said strut structure and valve piece. In this manner, no chilling of the solder will be permitted before the strut structure parts are separated and when the several parts are forced away, there will be a clear passage for the extinguishing water in the direction of the distributer or spraying head or disk P by which the stream of water is broken up and spread in the form of spray. It willbe observed that when the solder R is first melted thespring action of the diaphragm's land L supplemented by the pressure of the water thereupon impart the first upward movement to the valve piece to thoroughly separate the parts R,

R and R before any passage is made be-.

tween the valve piece and the diaphragm I for the passage of the water, and hence the device is proof against chilling of the solder from premature escape of the water.

In the manufacture of this improved nozzle, much economy exists from the simplicity both in the construction of the parts and in the manner ofassemblage. It will. readily be seenthat the parts of the strut structure maybe secured together as a separate part and then introduced between the valve'piece and the screw 0 and then by the mere turning of the screw with the requisite pressure may be applied to the valve piece to firmly press it upon the diaphragm to insure a tight joint by 'simply rotating the screw together with the strut structure R.

For these reasons, the strut structure is not only simple and effective in its construction and operation, but may be assembled at a minimum cost and Without danger of defective adjustment.

While it is evident that the double diaphragms I, L are effective in increasing the elasticity and the tendency to liberate the valve piece when the strut structure is unsoldered, I do not restrict myself to the use of the second or perforated diaphragm L,

as my improvements may be employed with the upper diaphragm I alone, if so desired,

and while the exact construction shown in the drawings has proved most satisfactory in commercial adaptation of the invention, the minor details may be modified without departing from the spiritof the invention.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new-and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i 1. In a fire extinguishing sprinkler nozezle, the sprinkler head having a spring valve seat at all times normally subjected to the pressure within the head, combined with a valve piece, a clamping screw carried in the head and having an elongated transverse bearing, and 'astrut structure between the screw and valve piece consisting of two main flat members rest-ing against each other and having aperturestbrough them in alinement and the end of one of said members having an elongated transversapivoted bear- 1 ing near theend of'the other member and having its other end engaging the valve piece to form a central rotatable pivot bearing, and the otherlmember having an elongated transverse socket engaging the elongated transverse bearing of the clam ing screw and furtherfprovided with a shielding recess 9' 'said-members soldered together with fusible solderand the elongated transverse bearingsbeiiig out of alinement, and a locking member having a narrow finger extending through the apertures in the other members and having its end received in the shieldin recess r in one of said other membersaan said locking member soldered to and also freely rotatable within the yoke'or housing, whereby the rotation of the screw rotates the strut to adjust the tension of the valve upon its seat but does not rotate the valve piece.

3. In a fire extinguishing sprinkler nozzle, the combination of the housing portion having an annular seat, a body portion screwed unto the annular seat, a sheetmetal diaphragm clamped in position in the annular seat and having a valve seat surrounded with a soft metal seal, a valve piece havinga spherical seating surface and simultaneously resting upon the edge of theopening in the sheet metal diaphragm and onthe soft metal seal, a secon diaphragm of sheet metal also clamped in the annular seat and having a central aperture of greater diam-" eter than the valve seat aperture, and means.

for forcing the valve piece. upon the seat held in place by fusible solder.

4. In a fire,v extinguishing sprinkler no'z zle, the combination of the housing having an annular seat, a bod screwed into the annular seat, a s eet metal diaphragm clamped in position in the annular seatand having a valve seat surrounded with a soft metal seal, a valve piece having a spherical seat-ing surface and simultanesoft metal seal, a secon diaphragm of sheet metal also clampedin the annular seatand having a central aperture of greater diamportion portion ously resting upon the edge of the opening in the sheet metal diaphragm and on the eter than the valve seataperture, and also 2 having annularly' arranged openings for permitting the pressure of the water to act upon the first mentioned sheet metal diaphragm at laces between it and thelast mentioned diaphragm, and means for forcing the valve piece-upon the seat held in place by fusible solder.

In testimony of which unto set my'hand.

RUDOLPH M. Witnesses: r

R. M. KELLY, D. J. McCLosKnr.

invention, 1 here- 

